The just-concluded RSU Newbie Mapathon Orientation was an engaging and insightful three-day training program designed to introduce new members of the Unique Mappers Team at Rivers State University (RSU) to the world of digital humanitarian mapping. The event ran from Tuesday, 14th to Thursday, 16th October, and featured a blend of orientation talks, interactive sessions, and hands-on mapping exercises using popular open-source tools.
Day 1: Getting to Know Unique Mappers
The opening session set the tone for what would be an exciting journey into mapping for social good. After a brief arrival and welcome by the moderators, Miss Favour & Miss Adanna. They took the stage to introduce participants to the Unique Mappers Network (UMN)—a community of volunteers who use geospatial technologies to address real-world challenges.
Next, Mr. Kingsley gave an enlightening presentation on “How to Volunteer with Unique Mappers,” highlighting opportunities available for students to contribute to humanitarian mapping projects across Africa.
An ice-breaker session followed, creating a lively atmosphere and allowing participants to bond before the brief talk by Prof. Precious – The Head of Department for Geography Department in Rivers State University who shared valuable insights on the importance of volunteer mapping and community engagement. The day concluded with a short question-and-answer session and a closing remark by the moderators.
Day 2: Diving into Humanitarian Mapping Tools
The second day focused on building technical competence. Dr. Victor Sunday opened the session with a presentation on “Introduction to Humanitarian Response Mapping,” emphasizing how mapping supports disaster management and sustainable development efforts.
He then led the first training on the HOT Tasking Manager, demonstrating how volunteers collaborate on global mapping projects through the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) platform.
Following this, Mrs. Erefama delivered a very beautiful talk that encouraged students to view digital mapping as both a service to humanity and a pathway to professional growth.
Practical sessions continued with Mr. Justice introducing participants to Java OpenStreetMap (JOSM), a powerful offline mapping tool, followed by Salvation, who guided attendees through Mapping with iD Editor, a beginner-friendly web-based tool for creating and editing map features. The day wrapped up with an interactive Q&A and a summary session by moderators
Mapping using JOSM
Day 3: Mapping on the Go:
The final day focused on mobile mapping. Miss Adanna, Miss Favour & Mr Justice took participants through the use of mobile applications for field data collection and real-time mapping respectively. The session, titled “Mapping with Mobile Applications using Mapillary, Mapchat, and Organic Map,” was particularly engaging, as participants learned to capture ground surfaces.
Mobile mapping application using Map Chat Mobile Mapping application using Mapillary
The event concluded with closing remarks by Dr. Victor Sunday & Mr Kingsley, who commended the enthusiasm of the participants and encouraged them to remain active contributors to the mapping community. The event concluded with closing remarks by Dr. Victor Sunday & Mr Kingsley, who commended the enthusiasm of the participants and encouraged them to remain active contributors to the mapping community.
Highlights and Impact
- Hands-on training on HOT Tasking Manager, JOSM, iD Editor, and mobile mapping tools.
- Inspirational talks from experienced facilitators.
- Interactive sessions that promoted collaboration and teamwork.
- Increased awareness about the role of mapping in disaster response, urban planning, and development.
The RSU Newbie Mapathon Orientation not only equipped participants with essential digital mapping skills but also inspired them to become part of a growing movement using GIS and open data for humanitarian impact. The event reaffirmed RSU’s commitment to nurturing students who can leverage technology for community development and global good.
